FP StaffMay 30, 2022 13:44:27 IST
Elon Musk has once again raised the issue of spambots on Twitter and stated that the social media platform has very ‘very bot friendly rules. Elon Musk has actually put the $44 Billion deal on hold indefinitely, citing this very reason.
Twitter’s CEO Parag Agrawal has stated that about five per cent of Twitter’s daily users are fake or consist of spambots. Twitter has also stated the same in a filing with the SEC or the Securities and Exchange Commission.
A Twitter follower of Elon Musk, tweeted out to him, saying that none of the limits regarding changing details about a user on Twitter, is aligned with human to human interactions. He cited that Twitter allows a user to put out 1 tweet every 36 seconds, during a 24 hour period, which, isn’t humanly possible. The user also pointed out that bots can change the email associated with their Twitter accounts 4 times in an hour because Twitter allows it to. This is something that no human being would ever need in a realistic setting.
The Tesla CEO replied, saying “Totally, these are very bot-friendly rules!”
Twitter allows about 1000 direct messages or DMs in a day. It also allows a user to send about 2400 tweets per day.
Because the takeover bid has to meet certain compliances, Musk has asked the SEC to investigate Twitter’s claim of having five per cent bots among its daily active users on the platform. Musk claims that by all logical indications, the number is at least 20 per cent.
Musk has also claimed that Twitter’s CEO, Agrawal, has refused to present any evidence that proves the platform’s claim of having less than five per cent bots.
“20 per cent fake/spam accounts, while 4 times what Twitter claims, could be much higher. My offer was based on Twitter’s SEC filings being accurate,” Musk tweeted.
“Yesterday, Twitter’s CEO publicly refused to show proof of less than 5 per cent. This deal cannot move forward until he does,” he had added.
Musk, at a conference in Miami this month, said that Twitter could have at least four times more fake accounts than what has been revealed in its filing.
